As computer technology continues to develop and prices come down, laptop or notebook computers continue to become more prevalent at the office, home, and school. The portability of such computers and the capacity for computing power similar to many desktop computers make them very popular.
One (1) problem commonly associated with portable laptop computers is that the fixed configuration of a notebook screen to the keyboard often forces ergonomic compromises. Many times, a user is forced to hunch over the screen in order to view it at a low elevation. On the other hand, raising the notebook computer by placing it upon a stack of books or the like can make it very uncomfortable and difficult to type on the keyboard. When the computer is actually used in a mobile environment by placing it on one's lap, it becomes very difficult to achieve an angle by which to adequately see the screen, forcing frequent adjustments on the part of the user.
Various attempts have been made to provide adjustable displays for portable computers. Examples of these attempts can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,426, issued in the name of Hoving et al., describes a hinge mechanism for a portable computer which provides additional range for upward angling of the screen.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,214, issued in the name of Ma, describes a portable computer with a level and angular position adjustable display assembly rotatable via a pair of perpendicular supports.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,729,429, issued in the name of Margaritis et al., describes a laptop computer with a plurality of collapsible display positioning supports which provide a large range of height and positioning configurations.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,229,693, issued in the name of Karidis et al., describes an articulated notebook computer display with locking vertical adjustment and full rotational positioning adjustment capabilities.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,665,175, issued in the name of deBoer et al., describes a computer and a monitor that is adjustable in multiple planes via pivoting stanchions attached to the base of the computer.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Many such devices are tedious to adjust. Also, many such devices put undue strain on electrical connections between the computer and the display. Furthermore, many such devices provide an unnecessary range of adjustability which can lead to time wasted while attempting to achieve a desired positioning of the display. Accordingly, there exists a need for a portable computer with an adjustable display without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.